Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
Chocolate
- 1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips (a mix of regular and mini chocolate chips)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare baking sheet: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside for later use.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the room temperature unsalted butter with the granulated sugar and light brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, approximately 1-2 minutes.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Incorporate dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until you no longer see streaks of flour. Avoid over-mixing to keep cookies tender.
- Fold in chocolate chips: Gently fold in the semisweet chocolate chips (both regular and mini).
- Scoop dough onto baking sheet: Use about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie and place on the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2-3 inches between cookies to allow spreading during baking. Optionally, press extra chocolate chunks or sprinkles on top before baking.
- Bake cookies: Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the edges are just turning a very light golden brown, but the centers still look slightly underdone for the perfect chewy texture.
- Cut into heart shapes: Remove the hot cookies from the oven and immediately use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut each cookie into hearts, being cautious as the cookies will be hot.
- Cool cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5-7 minutes to set, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Using room temperature butter and eggs helps achieve the best creaming and dough consistency.
- Do not overbake; underbaked centers give a softer, chewier cookie experience.
- Allowing the cookies to cool slightly before cutting helps maintain shape without crumbling.
- You can substitute semisweet chocolate chips with dark or milk chocolate chips based on preference.
- For added texture, try adding chopped nuts or oats to the dough.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American